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Is a Labial Frenectomy Necessary After Braces?
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A couple of months ago, nurse my sister called to ask my opinion about a frenectomy that the orthodontist had suggested for my nephew.  After discussing it with the orthodontist, click my sister decided to postpone the frenectomy for the time being.

Is a Maxillary Labial Frenectomy Necessary?Since then, treatment it seems that I’ve had more than a few questions about the necessity of a maxillary labial frenectomy on the post describing a labial frenectomy.

These questions seem to come from parents who are concerned about whether a surgical procedure is truly necessary to keep their child’s teeth straight after orthodontic treatment.  I don’t blame them for their concern.  I think that an unnecessary surgery is not only a waste of time and resources, but also introduces unnecessary risk to the patient.

In this article, I’ll take a look at at the leading textbooks on orthodontics and pediatric dentistry to see what they say about whether or not a frenectomy is necessary after having braces.  It’s important to note that a frenectomy should not be done during braces treatment as it is believed that the scar tissue formed may prevent the teeth from moving together, thus creating a permanent gap between the two front teeth.

A Labial Frenectomy After Braces – An Orthodontic Perspective

It seems that more and more orthodontists are recommending frenectomies to their patients.  I just turned around and asked my wife if her orthodontist had recommended a frenectomy and she said no.  My orthodontist never recommended a frenectomy either, and I have a large frenum!  Although there is a very small space between my front two teeth, they still touch at the bottom and it’s nothing that would show when people look at me.

One of the leading textbooks in orthodontics, Contemporary Orthodontics by Proffit, addresses the possibility that after the braces come off, teeth may move back to their original position.  He says:

“Another retention problem may be caused by the presence of a large or inferiorly attached labial frenum. A frenectomy after space closure and retention may be necessary in some cases, but it is difficult to determine the potential contribution of the frenum to retention problems from its morphology alone.  Therefore a frenectomy before treatment is contraindicated, and a post-treatment frenectomy should be attempted only if a continued tendency of the diastema to reopen and unresolved bunching of tissue between the teeth show that it is necessary.”

Here he says that a frenectomy should be done only after the space between the front teeth is closed.  He also says that it may be necessary in some cases but that you really can’t tell if the frenum will cause the space to reopen based on its size and shape alone.

In summary, he says that a frenectomy should be done only if the spaces appears to be reopening and you have tissue bunching up between the front teeth (which could cause the space to reopen).

A Labial Frenectomy After Braces – A Pediatrics Perspective

Now that we’ve seen what the orthodontists say about this, let’s turn our attention to the dentists that specialize in treating patients 18 years of age and younger: pediatric dentists.

Dr. Pinkham, in his leading dental pediatrics textbook, Pediatric Dentistry, talks about when and if a frenectomy should be performed.  He says:

“No matter which type of treatment is used to close a midline diastema, retention can be a problem and should be planned. In most cases, a removable appliance maintains the space closure…If the diastema reopens during or following retention, the incisors should be realigned. At that time, a surgical procedure, frenectomy, can be performed if the frenum is thought to be the cause of the diastema’s reopening.”

Just so you know, a diastema is the dental term for a gap between two teeth.

In the above quote, Dr. Pinkham says that a retainer could keep the gap closed after braces in most cases.  He says that a frenectomy should not be done until the diastema reopens after the braces have been removed.  Also, if that is the case, a frenectomy should only be done if the frenum is the suspected cause of the gap reopening.

Conclusion – My Perspective on Labial Frenectomies

As you can see, both Dr. Proffit (the orthodontist) and Dr. Pinkham (the pediatric dentist) both agree that a frenectomy should only be performed after the teeth are moved together with braces and if the frenum is determined to be the cause of the gap. I have to say that I agree with their position on this issue.

It’s important to emphasize again that a frenectomy should not be performed before the space between the front teeth is closed.  Also, a frenectomy should only be performed after it has been determined to be the cause of the space reopening.

If you have any questions about frenectomies, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

2
Videos of Laser Lingual Frenectomies
©Inara Prusakova/Shutterstock.com

Girl With a Missing ToothMany teenagers lose their teeth due to various accidents and are unable to save their knocked out teeth by re-implanting them.  In order to minimize bone loss, ed pharm a dental implant is usually the ideal treatment.

An expert in dental implants at my dental school has called dental implants the standard of care when it comes to replacing missing teeth.

Unfortunately, look dental implants can only be placed after the jaw has finished growing.  If a dental implant is placed before a child’s jaw has finished growing, generic then it may impede jaw growth and stop other teeth from growing into their natural positions.

Since dental implants are placed directly into bone, they don’t move very easily.  Natural teeth are able to move because they have a living, functioning periodontal ligament, which dental implants lack.

What Is The Minimum Age to Get Dental Implants?

A few weeks ago, the associate dean at our dental school was giving us a lecture about tooth trauma in adolescents.  He told us that you want to wait until the following ages to get dental implants:

  • Boys: At least 17 years old
  • Girls: At least 14-15 years old

By these ages, the jaw has grown to the point where dental implants shouldn’t adversely affect future growth.

How To Replace Missing Teeth Until Dental Implants Can Be Placed

Not many pre-teens and teenagers want to walk around with a missing tooth.  They could face social isolation due to their “abnormality.” So what can be done to replace the tooth until the child is old enough to have a dental implant placed?

Usually the dentist will be able to make a denture consisting of just one tooth that can fill in the area where the lost tooth used to be.  Then, once jaw growth is completed, the dentist can make place a dental implant to replace the missing tooth.

Do you have any questions or comments about traumatic tooth loss?  Leave them in the comments below!
DogHow would you feel if a dog ran over to you and urinated on your foot?  What if that urine were so caustic that a skin graft were required to repair the damage?  You would probably be devastated — and rightfully so.  However, viagra many people permit a similar situation to occur in their mouths everyday!

Did you know that right now, there are thousands of tiny living organisms called bacteria living inside of your mouth?  They love sitting on your teeth.  You provide them food, shelter, and an ideal environment with 100% humidity.  Your mouth is their dream home.  However, these bacteria are not well-behaved houseguests — they can end up leaving your mouth quite dirty and in poor repair.

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127
Popping and Clicking in Jaw is Normal
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Public Domain from Gray’s Anatomy
If you experience a popping sound, search a grating sound, unhealthy or a click when you open your mouth, approved you’re not alone.

The Temporomandibular JointMany people have slight problems with their jaw joint, which is formally known as the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ for short. Whenever we want to open our mouth, our jaw glides down and forward to allow our mouth to open.

The rounded end of the jaw bone that glides down is called the condyle.  Between the condyle and our skull, there is a small, soft, lubricated disk that allows our jaw to open smoothly.  This is called the articular disk.

Sometimes, that disk may not be big enough, or it may not be the right shape to allow the jaw bone to smoothly glide forward and down when you open your mouth.   When this happens, it is a condition known as crepitus.

Crepitus is a word that is used to describe the grating, crackling, and/or popping sounds that are heard around people’s joints.

Unfortunately, not everyone has jaw joints.  When I open my mouth, my jaw slides down and out nicely on the right side, but on my left side, there is a loud popping noise.  Luckily this only happens when I open my mouth really wide, so it doesn’t affect me when I chew gum or eat (unless it’s a really big hamburger!)

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6
Anatomy of a Tooth
©Kninwong/Shutterstock.com

Have you ever wondered what makes a tooth so strong?

Anatomy of a ToothThe anatomy of a tooth is very simple compared to the human body.  Every tooth in your mouth has two major portions: a crown and a root.

The crown of the tooth is normally the portion that you can see inside your mouth.  It is covered in a glassy, approved this white-colored substance called enamel, side effects which is the hardest substance in the body.

The root is the part of the tooth that you can’t see unless you have severe gum disease.  It is what anchors the tooth in the mouth and supports all of the forces that are placed on the tooth while food is being chewed.  The root is covered by a very thin layer of a substance called cementum.  The cementum anchors the tooth to the bone by way of the periodontal ligament.

Here is a large diagram that illustrates the anatomy of a tooth:

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264
Frenectomy in Children Necessary?
©Ocskay Bence/Shutterstock.com

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/72801
Parsley can reduce bad breathSure, troche that fried tuna fish sandwich with garlic and onion might have tasted good at lunch, viagra approved but your post-lunch associates are not enjoying the cornucopia of smells you produce with every word you speak.  Fortunately, there are some super foods that can help get rid of bad breath.  Here they are:

Seven Foods That Get Rid of Bad Breath

1. Herbs such as Parsley, Mint, Tarragon, and Basil. Usually, parsley is included as a garnish on dishes at many restaurants.  There are plenty of other herbs that can work as well.  Dr. Christine Gerbstadt a national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association recommends using coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom.  Basically, you should aim to find any herb with a strong pleasant smell that can mask your bad breath.  Experiment a bit and find the one that works the best for you.

2. Green Tea. In a recent study trying to find foods that reduce bad breath, the researchers concluded that “green tea was very effective in reducing oral malodor temporarily because of its disinfectant and deodorant activities.”  In fact, the study found that many other foods used to get rid of bad breath simply covered up the bad smell.  Green tea, however was able to reduce the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (one of the major causes of bad breath) while other foods couldn’t.  The only other substance in the study that could reduce the volatile sulfur compounds was toothpaste.

Lemon - A potent opponent of bad breath3.Lemons can reduce bad breath.  They have such a strong, pleasant odor that they are able to mask your bad breath.  Lemons are easy to come across in restaurants — you can simply order a water with a lemon wedge.  Squeezing the lemon in your water may be the safest way to use the lemon to mask bad breath because the strong acid lemons contain can slowly eat away at your enamel.

4. Sugar Free Mints and Candy will be able to mask bad breath by increasing your saliva production.  That extra saliva running through your mouth will be able to remove bad breath-causing substances from your teeth.

5. Crisp Fruits and Vegetables such as apples, celery, and carrots are great at stimulating the flow of your saliva also.  This will help wash away offending substances that cling to your teeth.  Also, the rough, fibrous texture of fruits and vegetables can also have a cleaning action on your teeth.

6. Yogurt can act to prevent bad breath.

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1. Lemons. Suck on a lemon wedge or nibble on the rind — easy to do in restaurants, where there’s often a citrus garnish and if not, you can order sparkling water with lemon. For other times, lemon-flavored hard candies work just as well and are totally portable.

2. Parsley and other green garnishes. When your favorite garlic-laden pasta dish or onion-topped burger arrives with a few sprigs of parsley on the side, consider it a hint, not just eye appeal. Chewing on the sprigs afterward releases parsley’s pleasant, breath-freshening oils. Garnishes of fresh basil and rosemary work too.

3. Apples and other crisp-fresh foods (firm pears, carrots, jicama). They’re high in fiber, all that chewing ups saliva production, and the combo acts like a scrubbing rinse for your mouth. Sweet.

3. Crunchy spices. For a more exotic solution, pick up some anis, cardamom, coriander, and/or fennel seeds in your grocery’s spice aisle. Mix equal parts in a small covered bowl and keep on the dining room table next to the salt and pepper. Chewing on a few seeds will release enough oils to sweeten after-dinner curry or coffee breath. And your mouth will taste amazing.

4. Mint sprigs or cinnamon sticks. Either of these deliciously potent flavors will squelch the sulphurous scent of onion or garlic. Plus, an essential oil in cinnamon kills a nasty type of oral bacteria, should they be aiming to set up house in your mouth. Cinnamon or mint gums are just as effective. If you pick a gum sweetened with Xylitol, it will freshen breath and help reduce cavities — smart if you’re a gum lover. Bonus: Long-term good oral care can actually make your RealAge more than 6 years younger.

5. Berries and yogurt. If you can’t get through most days without indulging in foods that are hardly breath-friendly, eat for prevention — even better than a cure. Consuming a half-cup of plain, sugar-free yogurt twice a day can lower mouth levels of hydrogen sulfide (yes, that rotten egg smell). Berries (and melons, oranges, and other fruits high in vitamin C) also deter stinky mouth bacteria. Start and end the day with a fruit cup topped with a big dollop of yogurt and you might never have to worry about bad breath again.
Parsley can reduce bad breathSure, check that fried tuna fish sandwich with garlic and onion might have tasted good at lunch, this web but your post-lunch associates are not enjoying the cornucopia of smells you produce with every word you speak.  Fortunately, site there are some super foods that can help get rid of bad breath.

Seven Foods That Get Rid of Bad Breath

1. Herbs such as Parsley, Mint, Tarragon, and Basil. Usually, parsley is included as a garnish on dishes at many restaurants.  There are plenty of other herbs that can work as well.  Dr. Christine Gerbstadt a national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association recommends using coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom.  Basically, you should aim to find any herb with a strong pleasant smell that can mask your bad breath.  Experiment a bit and find the one that works the best for you.

2. Green Tea. In a recent study trying to find foods that reduce bad breath, the researchers concluded that “green tea was very effective in reducing oral malodor temporarily because of its disinfectant and deodorant activities.”  In fact, the study found that many other foods used to get rid of bad breath simply covered up the bad smell.  Green tea, however was able to reduce the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (one of the major causes of bad breath) while other foods couldn’t.  The only other substance in the study that could reduce the volatile sulfur compounds was toothpaste.

Lemon - A potent opponent of bad breath3.Lemons can reduce bad breath.  They have such a strong, pleasant odor that they are able to mask your bad breath.  Lemons are easy to come across in restaurants — you can simply order a water with a lemon wedge.  Squeezing the lemon in your water may be the safest way to use the lemon to mask bad breath because the strong acid lemons contain can slowly eat away at your enamel.

4. Sugar Free Mints and Candy will be able to mask bad breath by increasing your saliva production.  That extra saliva running through your mouth will be able to remove bad breath-causing substances from your teeth.

5. Crisp Fruits and Vegetables such as apples, celery, and carrots are great at stimulating the flow of your saliva also.  This will help wash away offending substances that cling to your teeth.  Also, the rough, fibrous texture of fruits and vegetables can also have a cleaning action on your teeth.

6. Yogurt can act to prevent bad breath.  It won’t work immediately, but if you eat a single-serving cup of plain yogurt without any sugar added every day, you will be able to reduce the levels of hydrogen sulfide in your mouth.

7. Berries, Melons, and Citrus Fruits that are rich in vitamin C will be able to scare away much of the bacteria in your mouth that are a source of your bad breath.

8. Anise, Cardamom, Coriander, Mint Sprigs, and Fennel Seeds are all very potent, spicy, pleasant smelling, natural ways to cover up your bad breath.  Cinnamon Sticks

9. Cinnamon Sticks contain an essential oil that is actually able to kill a certain type of bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath.  Also, the pleasant scent of cinnamon is sure to cover up some of the worst bad breath that you can breathe at it!

10. Chewing gum is great at getting your salivary flow stimulated.  Also, it can keep your teeth clean.  Don’t get chewing gum that has sugar in it, such as Chiclets, as that will just end up magnifying your bad breath by feeding your oral bacteria.  Try to find chewing gum that uses sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and sorbitol as a sweetener.  As an added bonus, these sugar alcohols can help to reduce plaque levels and keep your teeth healthy!

That’s good news for your breath, and for the people around you that have to breathe in what you breathe out.
Parsley can reduce bad breathSure, medicine that fried tuna fish sandwich with garlic and onion might have tasted good at lunch, but your post-lunch associates are not enjoying the cornucopia of smells you produce with every word you speak.  Fortunately, there are some super foods that can help get rid of bad breath.

Twelve Foods That Get Rid of Bad Breath

1. Herbs such as Parsley, Mint, Tarragon, and Basil. Usually, parsley is included as a garnish on dishes at many restaurants.  There are plenty of other herbs that can work as well.  Dr. Christine Gerbstadt a national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association recommends using coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom.  Basically, you should aim to find any herb with a strong pleasant smell that can mask your bad breath.  Experiment a bit and find the one that works the best for you.

2. Green Tea. In a recent study trying to find foods that reduce bad breath, the researchers concluded that “green tea was very effective in reducing oral malodor temporarily because of its disinfectant and deodorant activities.”  In fact, the study found that many other foods used to get rid of bad breath simply covered up the bad smell.  Green tea, however was able to reduce the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (one of the major causes of bad breath) while other foods couldn’t.  The only other substance in the study that could reduce the volatile sulfur compounds was toothpaste.

Lemon - A potent opponent of bad breath3.Lemons can reduce bad breath.  They have such a strong, pleasant odor that they are able to mask your bad breath.  Lemons are easy to come across in restaurants — you can simply order a water with a lemon wedge.  Squeezing the lemon in your water may be the safest way to use the lemon to mask bad breath because the strong acid lemons contain can slowly eat away at your enamel.

4. Sugar Free Mints and Candy will be able to mask bad breath by increasing your saliva production.  That extra saliva running through your mouth will be able to remove bad breath-causing substances from your teeth.

5. Crisp Fruits and Vegetables such as apples, celery, and carrots are great at stimulating the flow of your saliva also.  This will help wash away offending substances that cling to your teeth.  Also, the rough, fibrous texture of fruits and vegetables can also have a cleaning action on your teeth.

6. Yogurt can act to prevent bad breath.  It won’t work immediately, but if you eat a single-serving cup of plain yogurt without any sugar added every day, you will be able to reduce the levels of hydrogen sulfide in your mouth.

7. Berries, Melons, and Citrus Fruits that are rich in vitamin C will be able to scare away much of the bacteria in your mouth that are a source of your bad breath by creating an environment in which the bacteria do not want to live.  As an added bonus, vitamin C is also great at preventing gingivitis and improving your gingival health.

8. Anise, Cardamom, Coriander, Mint Sprigs, and Fennel Seeds are all very potent, spicy, pleasant smelling, natural ways to cover up your bad breath.

Cinnamon Sticks9. Cinnamon Sticks contain an essential oil that is actually able to kill a certain type of bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath.  Also, the pleasant scent of cinnamon is sure to cover up some of the worst bad breath that you can breathe at it!

10. Chewing gum is great at getting your salivary flow stimulated.  Also, it can keep your teeth clean.  Don’t get chewing gum that has sugar in it, such as Chiclets, as that will just end up magnifying your bad breath by feeding your oral bacteria.  Try to find chewing gum that uses sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and sorbitol as a sweetener.  As an added bonus, these sugar alcohols can help to reduce plaque levels and keep your teeth healthy!

11. Hazelnuts if they are slowly chewed and eaten can help alleviate bad breath.

12. Chlorophyll, isn’t exactly a food, but as a supplement it works to decrease bad breath since chlorophyll is a natural deodorizer.  You can find liquid chlorophyll or chlorophyll tablets at your local pharmacy or drugstore.

Use these 12 foods to help your breath smell fresh all day long.  By doing so, you’ll not only be improving your breath, but you’ll be helping those people around you that have to breathe in what you breathe out.

Do you know of any other foods that can fight bad breath?  Let everyone else know in the comments!
Parsley can reduce bad breathSure, pilule that fried tuna fish sandwich with garlic and onion might have tasted good at lunch, information pills but your post-lunch associates are not enjoying the cornucopia of smells you produce with every word you speak.  Fortunately, dosage there are some super foods that can help get rid of bad breath.

Twelve Foods That Get Rid of Bad Breath

1. Herbs such as Parsley, Mint, Tarragon, and Basil. Usually, parsley is included as a garnish on dishes at many restaurants.  There are plenty of other herbs that can work as well.  Dr. Christine Gerbstadt a national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association recommends using coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom.  Basically, you should aim to find any herb with a strong pleasant smell that can mask your bad breath.  Experiment a bit and find the one that works the best for you.

2. Green Tea. In a recent study trying to find foods that reduce bad breath, the researchers concluded that “green tea was very effective in reducing oral malodor temporarily because of its disinfectant and deodorant activities.”  In fact, the study found that many other foods used to get rid of bad breath simply covered up the bad smell.  Green tea, however was able to reduce the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (one of the major causes of bad breath) while other foods couldn’t.  The only other substance in the study that could reduce the volatile sulfur compounds was toothpaste.

Lemon - A potent opponent of bad breath3.Lemons can reduce bad breath.  They have such a strong, pleasant odor that they are able to mask your bad breath.  Lemons are easy to come across in restaurants — you can simply order a water with a lemon wedge.  Squeezing the lemon in your water may be the safest way to use the lemon to mask bad breath because the strong acid lemons contain can slowly eat away at your enamel.

4. Sugar Free Mints and Candy will be able to mask bad breath by increasing your saliva production.  That extra saliva running through your mouth will be able to remove bad breath-causing substances from your teeth.

5. Crisp Fruits and Vegetables such as apples, celery, and carrots are great at stimulating the flow of your saliva also.  This will help wash away offending substances that cling to your teeth.  Also, the rough, fibrous texture of fruits and vegetables can also have a cleaning action on your teeth.

6. Yogurt can act to prevent bad breath.  It won’t work immediately, but if you eat a single-serving cup of plain yogurt without any sugar added every day, you will be able to reduce the levels of hydrogen sulfide in your mouth.

7. Berries, Melons, and Citrus Fruits that are rich in vitamin C will be able to scare away much of the bacteria in your mouth that are a source of your bad breath by creating an environment in which the bacteria do not want to live.  As an added bonus, vitamin C is also great at preventing gingivitis and improving your gingival health.

8. Anise, Cardamom, Coriander, Mint Sprigs, and Fennel Seeds are all very potent, spicy, pleasant smelling, natural ways to cover up your bad breath.

Cinnamon Sticks9. Cinnamon Sticks contain an essential oil that is actually able to kill a certain type of bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath.  Also, the pleasant scent of cinnamon is sure to cover up some of the worst bad breath that you can breathe at it!

10. Chewing gum is great at getting your salivary flow stimulated.  Also, it can keep your teeth clean.  Don’t get chewing gum that has sugar in it, such as Chiclets, as that will just end up magnifying your bad breath by feeding your oral bacteria.  Try to find chewing gum that uses sugar alcohols, such as xylitol and sorbitol as a sweetener.  As an added bonus, these sugar alcohols can help to reduce plaque levels and keep your teeth healthy!

11. Hazelnuts if they are slowly chewed and eaten can help alleviate bad breath.

12. Chlorophyll, isn’t exactly a food, but as a supplement it works to decrease bad breath since chlorophyll is a natural deodorizer.  You can find liquid chlorophyll or chlorophyll tablets at your local pharmacy or drugstore.

Use these 12 foods to help your breath smell fresh all day long.  By doing so, you’ll not only be improving your breath, but you’ll be helping those people around you that have to breathe in what you breathe out.

Do you know of any other foods that can fight bad breath?  Let everyone else know in the comments!
Parsley can reduce bad breathSure, viagra buy that fried tuna fish sandwich with garlic and onion might have tasted good at lunch, but your post-lunch associates are not enjoying the cornucopia of smells you produce with every word you speak.  Fortunately, there are some super foods that can help get rid of bad breath.

Twelve Foods That Get Rid of Bad Breath

1. Herbs such as Parsley, Mint, Tarragon, and Basil. Usually, parsley is included as a garnish on dishes at many restaurants.  There are plenty of other herbs that can work as well.  Dr. Christine Gerbstadt a national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association recommends using coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom.  Basically, you should aim to find any herb with a strong pleasant smell that can mask your bad breath.  Experiment a bit and find the one that works the best for you.

2. Green Tea. In a recent study trying to find foods that reduce bad breath, the researchers concluded that

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